I have told my children the truth about having children, and told them they do not have to have children. The truth is that people are initially all smiles and congratulations, cooing over the newborn. However, this soon turns to "will they make good parents?" When parents send them off to school it is assumed they are NOT good parents. Parents won't feed them nutritious meals, if at all. Parents won't make sure they see the dentist or doctor. And if they do send them to the doctor consequently missing more than five days of school, then those parents will receive a threatening letter about truancy. Because, of course, parents don't care if their child goes to school or learns. The police visit the schools to tell students about abuse, and social workers are paid by the schools to ferret out those horrible parents, exposing students to ideas of abuse they have never considered. Because the government believes they can raise children better than parents. Yet, who is the government? Is it not composed of people? People who are most likely parents? And there is your nice circular reasoning as even "the government" can be abusive toward children when placed in their care.

I suggest we rethink our logic. Parenting is hard. We used to know that. Parents used to have the support of family, friends and the community to help raise children. Now, we have suspicion and condemnation. Those considering parenthood, should consider that they will be on the list of suspected criminals. Unless this attitude changes, perhaps prospective parents should just say "No."